Northrop eyes Marine Corps contract

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman says it has submitted a bid for the U.S. Marine Corps' Common Aviation Command and Control System Phase 2 sensor data subsystem.

The CAC2S program is a low-risk modernization effort to replace existing equipment of the Marine Air Command and Control System with mature, ready technologies. The program will provide standardized modular, scalable and adaptable tactical facilities and common baseline hardware and software to more effectively command, control and coordinate air operations.

The demonstration contract Northrop has bid on sets the stage for a follow-on contract to integrate the CAC2S Phase 1 and Phase 2 systems, prepare a technical data package and deliver optional quantities of low-rate initial production systems.

"CAC2S is a significant effort to apply fielded, mature technologies -- in an open, modular and scalable framework -- to meet the full range of Marine Corps air C2 requirements in a modern commander-centric network environment," said Mike Twyman, vice president of Integrated Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence Systems for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector. "To ensure low risk and accelerate capability delivery, we will rapidly develop a Technical Readiness Level 8 or higher solution for the Marines.

"We will also use our Modular Open Systems Approach -- Competitive model to provide the Marine Corps a strategy to minimize total ownership costs."

Northrop described MOSA-C as a strategic business and engineering process that realizes the life cycle benefits of open-systems architecture and commercial off-the-shelf components and software.

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